The Traveller's Magazine
Beating out mainstay holiday destinations in the UK like Cornwall, Devon and Cumbria, it seems that Yorkshire takes the crown as the best holiday destination in the UK. With tourist numbers up and a great showing by Yorkshire Team GB athletes in the summer, let’s go to York!
Yorkshire, home to the gorgeous Yorkshire Dales National Park, the historic town of York and many other city and natural sights, Yorkshire was given the honour at the recent World Travel Awards. 216 million visit the region of Yorkshire every year, just another reason why the county deserves the title.
Since January, there has been a 12% increase in visits to Yorkshire by international tourists. During the Olympic Games, not all eyes were on London. With so many of Team GB’s athletes hailing from York-area, it’s no wonder the county has been attracting the nation’s and the world’s attention. Jessica Ennis, the Brownlee brothers, Nicola Adams and Lizzie Armitstead are just a few who won medals and hail from Yorkshire.
Visiting Yorkshire
Yorkshire is no small place to visit. It’s so big it’s been divided into four smaller counties: South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire and East Riding of Yorkshire. Yorkshire is famous for its gorgeous landscapes; dark moors and green hills that roll as far as you can see, all the way to the coast. The region’s history reaches back to the Middle Ages and the cities, castles, historic mansions, estates and abbeys all tell the story.
York
There is so much to say about York. It’s unusual today in England to find a city so well preserved from the time before the Industrial Revolution took over Britain. The narrow streets, 13th century walls and the minster, by far one of the most beautiful Gothic cathedrals in Europe and the world. For history and heritage, check out Heritage Britain: York.
Whitby
This northern coast resort town is a classic. The town’s narrow streets are lined with gastro-pubs, restaurant, handcraft shops and fashion boutiques. Home to James Cook, Whitby has the arcades that most coastal resorts have but somehow it’s the 18th century charm that keeps people coming back summer after summer while on holidays in the UK. The perfect place to watch the fishing boats come in and out of the harbour is from the abbey, on the hilltop.
Settle-Carlisle Line
If you really want to appreciate the scenery, why not take the steam train from Settle to Carlisle? Dubbed “England’s most scenic railway,” the 72-mile route takes you over the twenty-four arches of the Ribblehead Viaduct, through the tunnel at Blea Moor and through the hills of Eden Valley.
Yorkshire Dales
This national park is marked by its moors and hills. The green view is criss-crossed by ancient stone walls, miraculously still standing, monastery and church ruins and old grand estate houses. The park was created in the 1950s and is one of the best places to walk and cycle in the country.
Have you been to York? What’s your favourite part of this county?
